A/N – Thanks for the reviewers for the last chapter and special thanks to rukii who answered my question on highschools in Japan and providing me the important days in Japan.
Darn, I felt Ichigo and Rukia is OOC in this chapter. I hope you all wouldn't mind, it was kinda necessary to make it happen because of what is going to happen later. Next chapter is going to be light and happy!
Please read and review! I need to know what your guys think and whether it's alright.
Disclaimer – Bleach is Kubo's work
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Chapter 3 – The past and present
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"Mum!! Dad!! Somebody help!!" She tried in vain to call for help.
No one came..
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"What? I can't keep her! I'm too stressed at work."
"I can't keep her too, I got two brats at home."
"No way, I got no money to support her."
All the hurtful words, it was too much for a 7 year old girl. She knew no one will take her. A person she didn't know took her instead, so much for blood-related.
The emotions she threw away
No one wanted her..
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It was soon morning when she woke up. The sun hasn't risen yet, remembering the dream, she looked over to the clock, it was only 6 am and the date was 5 September. It's coming isn't it?
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The week passed fairly quickly and it was already the beginning of a new week, Rukia met Ichigo after school regularly since they couldn't talk during school hours. (Lessons they couldn't talk, when they had breaks or lunch, Orihime and Tatsuki will talk a bit to her. People will start gossiping the possible romantic relationship they have) Ichigo, a little by a little, learned a bit of Rukia and little by little, Rukia knew more about Ichigo too. Of course not much, as they only could talk after school. Talking to each other after school is like a regular routine now. To Ichigo's surprise, they could get along pretty well and to Ichigo, this is the closest relationship he has with a girl before.
Rukia came to join Ichigo for lunch once, much to Keigo's delight. Rukia handled the boys really good though he won't admit. Although she's petite, she had a kickass attitude and will always be ready to punch or slap or retort back. (He had the experience.) They argued a few times but never got heated. It was a friendly argument, no hard fee;ings.
Though they are now closer friends, Ichigo felt Rukia getting weirder as a day passed by. She gets more depressed and seems to be listless sometimes. As if there is something really bothering her. He does not know why he feels this way but everytime when Rukia smiles, it seemed forced. He thought he must be thinking too much into it but today, he has to confirm it by asking Rukia. He's irritated by her behavior, (he felt a bit worried but he won't admit it to himself) it seems unRukia-ish.
Ichigo decided to ask about it after school where they always met to talk. Ichigo packed his things quicker than he usually do. Rukia was putting back her books slowly back into the bag. Ichigo observed.
"Hey, what happened? You seem to get more depressed everyday. It's pissing me off." Ichigo said, trying to sound annoyed than worried but his tone was harsher than intended.
Rukia, who was in the middle of putting her second last book into her bag, froze for a second. He noticed? She wasn't sure whether she could tell him, she has never told anyone before but she felt this very high trust in Ichigo she has never felt this about anyone before.
Seeing Rukia pausing like that, Ichigo guessed he had touched a very sensitive topic and felt a bit of regret for mentioning it.
"Hey I-" Ichigo began but Rukia cut him off.
"Tomorrow is my parents' 8th death anniversary."
Ichigo didn't say anything; he didn't expect Rukia to say that. It seems it happened long ago. He just realised…Rukia isn't a normal highschool girl. She's different. There was so much about her that remained unknown to others. He suddenly felt he didn't know Rukia at all, never did he realised she had lost her parents.
"It was a car accident, there was a drunken person driving a car." She continued. " It was late at night too, we came back from a party at my cousin house. My father tried to avoid the accident but I guess, it just hit and all I remembered was my mother shielding me from the huge impact that came after hitting each other. Due to the impact, it hit another car further down and from what I read and heard from the doctor, another woman died too."
Before Rukia knew it, tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to stop the tears from falling. She knew it happened so long ago, she thought she put it all behind. Never did she think she will still be so sad over it. She thought she put it all behind her since after 9 when she swore she wouldn't cry over the incident. She escaped death because her mother protected her. Was it because of the dream she had that triggered the memory of her parents death she suppressed for so long and the fact that it had taken place near this school and passing by the road everyday, reminded her more about it?
The emotions she threw away long ago
Blocks of memories came back to her, images of her father and mother. Their bodies being wrapped with black plastic, their burnt faces. Her relatives only coming to the funeral to take her parents' money and that her relatives did not even help her arrange a funeral, a social worker did. "It was too much for a 7 year old girl to handle." She always heard her care taker saying that behind her back.
The emotions she threw away long ago
Sadness. Hatred. Loneness. The feeling of being unwanted. Thrown away.
Sadness, her parents died. Her mother protected her, her parents died. Father shouted for help but no one came. No one wanted her.
Hatred, nobody help them or the couple in the other car. They shouted for help, nobody answered.
Unwanted. The word she feared the most as a child and still feared the word now because of her past that was never settled.
"I…" Rukia began; she was trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. She couldn't stop thinking about it. The memories kept flooding into her mind. Images formed, they cold eyes, the look of her parents. Fear.
Her mind was in a blur, she felt so messed up. Fucking messed up; she thought she has sorted this long time ago, how wrong was she.
Ichigo was at a loss of what to do. He knew, if he talked to her about it more, it'll make her remember the awful memories. He knew she needed someone to comfort her, he knew that the pain of a loved one dieing. He knew all this and yet, he was unable to help her. Ichigo didn't know what to do. He felt a lump in his throat, the words wouldn't come out.
"I understand. You can cry." Ichigo said.
Once Ichigo said those words, she closed her eyes and the tears escaped. She felt defeated by herself.
Ichigo remained silent for a while Rukia wiped her tears away.
Little did they know someone was watching them.
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Ale Kurosaki Kuchiki – Thanks for your review!! I'm glad you like it. )
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